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Semicolons
A semicolon (;) is a form of punctuation that is most commonly used to connect two independent clauses that address the same idea. By using a semicolon to connect two clauses, you eliminate the need to pause between the two statements without having to use words such as and, but, ''or ''so ''to conjoin your sentences. The use of semicolons in your writing is an effective way to portay a level of sophistication and practicality not usually achievable through standard comma usage. There are many different uses for semicolons in writing. Independent Clauses The semicolon is most commonly used to connect independent clauses. Independent clauses are sentences that could stand alone as their own. http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon Below are some examples of two sentences that are independently strong enough to not require a semicolon, but benefit from the use of one because it allows for a better flowing sentence. Examples *"As a child I had two dogs; I loved to play fetch with them." *"My mom likes to travel; her favorite city is Chicago." *"I play a lot of video games; my favorite is Super Smash Bros." Conjunctions Conjunctions are words such as ''and, or, and but.''When a sentence is composed of two simple sentences joined by a conjuction, it is appropriate to precede the conjunction with a semicolon, but only if at least one of the simple sentences contain a comma. Although this particular usage of semicolons is less common, it still improves the overall readability of one's writing. http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/conjunctions_and_semicolons.htm Examples *"I recieved an A+ on my math test; but James, my study buddy, recieved a C-." *"My dad's dad, Tom, was a soldier in the Spanish-American war; and my mom's dad, Frank, was a soldier in World War II." *"I learned to ride a bike at age 6; but my brother, Adrian, didn't learn to ride a bike until he was 8." Conjunctive Adverbs Conjunctive adverbs are words such as ''however, instead, moreover, besides, nonetheless, hence, ''or ''accordingly. ''If there is a conjunctive adverb linking two independent clauses, it is appropriate to use a semicolon. A conjunctive adverb should always be located in the second clause, following a comma, in order to show the intended relationship between the two clauses; such as cause and effect, before and after, compare and contrast, etc. http://www.grammarly.com/handbook/punctuation/semicolon/3/semicolon-with-conjunctive-adverbs/ Examples *'"'I have never been fond of country music; however, I do enjoy folk and bluegrass." *"I'm not a big fan of chocolate candies; instead, I prefer fruity candies." *"My favorite basketball team won every game of season; however, they lost every game in the championship." Seperating Items In A Series Ordinarily, items in a series are separated by commas, but replacing them with semicolons can minimize confusion if commas are needed in one or more of the items. This use of the semicolon is especially common in business and technical writing. The items in a series can also come after a colon; a method people are commonly aquainted/comfortable with in writing. http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/a/semicolon09.htm Examples *"There were many reasons why the young couple's relationship didn't last: infidelity, which arose after a night of heavy drinking; a lack of trust, which arose after lying about infidelity occuring during a night of heavy drinking; lack of communication, because it was difficult to communicate with one another after one had come home from a night of heavy drinking; and lastly, they could never agree where to get take-out from." *"On the menu tonight will be: Chicken Picatta, a lemony chicken served over pasta with capers; Steak Tacos, garnished with lime and cilantro; Pad Thai Chicken, a noodle dish mixed with a mild peanut sauce; and lastly, Spaghetti, served with meatballs and garlic bread." *"The locations being considered for a new Ikea are Northville, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; Austin, Texas; Greenville, North Carolina; and Tallahasee, Florida. What Semicolons Are Not There are many misconceptions regarding semicolons. These misconceptions can often lead to a complete disregard of them in ones writing, which is saddening, but understandable because there are indeed many legistics regarding their usage. Now that we've established what a semicolon is, it's time to reveal what a semicolon is not. Or rather, the common misconceptions regarding semicolons. Common Miconceptions http://www.stc-techedit.org/tiki-index.php?page=Save+the+Semicolons *Semicolons are not just longer pauses between sentences, in fact, as we established, they eliminate the need for a pause between two sentences. *Lists are not to be prefixed with a semicolon. Just because the latter of the world ''semicolon ''is [http://compopedia-2-point-0.wikia.com/wiki/Colons ''colon] does not mean the two punctuation marks shar e the same purpose. As we stated in the section'' [http://compopedia-2-point-0.wikia.com/wiki/Semicolons?action=edit#Seperating_Items_In_A_Series ''Seperating Items In a Series], semicolons are only to be used in lists following a colon in place of a comma, following an item of the series that contains one of more commas. *Semicolons are not decoration. Though they often make writing look more sophisticated and easier to read, the addition of a semicolon does not suddenly turn a mundane sentence into a knowledgable masterpiece. Use them appropriately, or don't use them at all. References